A Glimpse Of Amaranth
by GaleSynch
Summary: AU: At her deathbed, Nico di Angelo contemplates her true feelings for Percy Jackson. Percy/Fem!Nico. Implied Silena/Beckendorf.


**A Glimpse Of Amaranth: **

**I've Missed You.**

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Nico di Angelo was accustomed to death, being the daughter of Hades and all. But even she didn't anticipate to die so early—she just knew she would: being trapped in a jar without any air ensured that. But it was to her luck that she kept some of Persephone's seeds.

It had managed to keep her alive for four or maybe five days now. But even so, she knew she was just delaying her own death. She didn't even know when someone would save her—or that they even care that she was gone. Is someone missing her right now? Would he notice? Just as she'd noticed him and had missed him after so long?

Percy, she breathed, trying to reach him in her dreams. But it was futile, not matter how much she tried. And even if she managed to contact him for help, would he even come? After she had abandon him back at Camp Jupiter? Despite him remembering her, and yet, she had not admitted that she knew him.

Thinking about that still manage to surprise her. She couldn't believe that she was the only person Percy can remember from his past life—either he hated her _so_ much or she was _that_ important to him, something which she doubted. There are very few people in this world that she remembered loving her.

Her mother was one, but perhaps she'd loved Bianca more. Bianca, her older sister had loved her too—but had abandoned her to join the Hunt, did that count? Her father, Hades loathed her and couldn't care less about her. A part of her loved camp but they see her as a freak, the odd one out. Hazel cared but just because she'd gotten the girl out of the Underworld. Percy, she didn't know what his feelings for her were; resentment probably, since he would never know how painful it was for her to leave him alone in Camp Jupiter—but she had to, he need to find his own way in that Camp or the world's doom.

She chuckled softly and bitterly. She tried to help them—an unsung hero perhaps—but they never knew she helped.

Nico curled in on herself more. Sleep, yes, she should do that. A few more days, she would wait. She was dying of asphyxiation, she knew but Persephone's seeds can sustain her for a while longer. Because she couldn't die yet; she didn't want to. Not yet.

It was asphyxiating, being trapped in the bronze jar just as Ares had so many years ago. But he was immortal, he didn't need air, unlike Nico that needs to breathe to continue living.

She wanted to live because...

She wanted to see him...

One last time...

Even a glimpse was enough...

**PxN**

Nico opened her eyes and noticed that she was in a lobby. The waiting place for the dead. So she died? She looked around but didn't see anyone; the place that was usually full of the deceased was empty. Even Charon wasn't there. She was baffled, did something happened in the Underworld?

It was... grey. And endless. And empty.

Well, almost.

Nico stared, with no self-consciousness to speak of, at the long-haired, delicate being before her. The teen was beautiful with her dark hair and eyes. Her lips were full and rosy red; her skin a beautiful tan—almost like Percy's. Almost.

"Who are you?"

The lady smiled gently. "Does it really matter here?"

Did it matter? Of course it did. How else was Nico to know whether she was facing someone who meant her harm or not? "It does to me."

This time when the being spoke, there was a hint of laughter in her voice. "My name is Silena Beauregard, daughter of Aphrodite."

"And why are you here with me?"

The daughter of Aphrodite tilted her head, considering, but the smile didn't fade. "I'm waiting for someone. Isn't that why you're here?"

"No." Her answer was honest, but it still bothered Nico. She didn't know why she was here or how she got here.

Silena was still looking at her. "You are the first person I've seen since I've arrived in purgatory. You must be here for the same reason I am."

"How long has that been?"

Silena was still smiling as she replied, "Almost one year... I think."

Nico felt something crawl down the back of her neck, though her expression remained bland. One of her worst recurring nightmares involved her waking up and finding Camp Half-Blood and the whole world empty except for her. She always does things alone, but that doesn't mean she liked being alone. How was it her fault people shunned her?

This Silena... she had been living Nico's nightmare for one whole year and maybe longer.

Nico couldn't believe anyone would do so willingly. "It can't be worth it. After that long, whoever you are waiting for isn't coming."

Silena's smile turned wistful. "He promised he would try. I always have the option to move on, but I don't want to do so without him. You have the option too, if you are here. So why didn't you? Who are you waiting for?"

"I'm not waiting for anyone. No one is coming for me." It hurt Nico to say so, but she knew it was true. The campers had their own lives and Percy... had to save the world again. He couldn't risk dying to reach Nico.

But Silena was shaking her head, smiling still. "You're lying, girl, even if you don't know it. You wouldn't be here if someone wasn't coming for you. Purgatory exists for those who wait. And whoever you are waiting for… he will come. I'm sure of it."

"Percy probably doesn't even know what happened." Why she had spoken of Percy instead of her sibling, Nico didn't know. Except that Percy had saved her once. Perhaps Nico did have an unconscious hope that the son of Poseidon would do so again. But the daughter of Hades doubted it. It was unlikely Percy thought of her as often as she thought of him, if at all. She hadn't done anything for Percy except try and kill him. Nico sure didn't waste a thought for all the would-be killers who had been after him over the years, namely the monsters. So even if Percy did know, there was no reason he would come for Nico.

But for some reason, Silena's eyes brightened at the sound of Percy's name. "Percy? He is your precious person?"

Maybe it was where they were. Maybe she was going crazy. But whatever it was, she answered as she never would have, had she been alive."He is mine. I am not his."

Silena was shaking her head even as Nico spoke. "You're wrong. I knew Percy, once. If you know him, if he is your precious person, then you are his. Not the only one, maybe, but you are his. He will come for you."

Silena had known Percy. Somehow, Nico completely failed to be surprised. Percy was loved by everyone, as far as she knew. How could anyone do otherwise, when a freak like Nico did so herself? But still… "How can you be sure?"

"Because he is coming now."

Silena smiled, still, but her eyes were dark. "Five days you've waited, daughter of Hades. I envy you, but not enough to ruin this for you." She turned away. "I will see you again, though I hope not for a very long time. Goodbye. I wish you well." And then she was gone.

For several moments, there was silence. And Nico stood there, alone in the endless grey, the doubt in her mind growing with every passing second. How could Silena know that Percy was coming? Could Percy be dead as well? Or had Silena been lying, and now all that was left for Nico was… nothing.

Maybe…

"Nico!"

**PxN**

Her eyes fluttered open to look into pools of sea-green, full of concern. For her. "Percy..." She croaked. Her throat felt dry; she hadn't consumed any water in the time she was trapped in the bronze jar.

He was here. Silena wasn't lying after all. Tears sprang into her eyes as she realized one thing. Gods, she missed Percy. She missed him. She had never been dependent on anyone—and she still wasn't—but she always found herself relying on him.

She couldn't help herself. Without her knowing, she threw her arms around him and pressed her lips to his.

"Sorry," she mumbled, pulling away, a little breathless herself. Her face continued to linger above his, close enough to feel his warm breath fan across her face. It smelled of chocolate cookies, and she allowed herself a grin. "How are you feeling?"

"Me?" he asked, gesturing to himself. He flashed her a half-smile. "Well, I suppose I was doing all right. Then, you kissed me and now I'm doing amazing."

She blushed, but didn't look away. "Hush."

Percy didn't stop smiling at her. "What made you want to do that? Not that I'm opposed to it, of course. Actually, I liked it. Loved it, even."

Nico released a nervous sigh, pulling away from him slightly to better meet his gaze. "Percy, I have to tell you something."

Here goes nothing, she thought.

Percy's eyes clouded with worry. He attempted to straighten his back, as he was in a hunched over position. Something seemed to have caught his attention, and he glanced down to his side. He dangled their intertwined hands, a smile on his face. His worry appeared to wash away, and he looked to her with something akin to admiration.

"What is it, Nico?" he asked, trying in vain not to smile in excitement even though the giants weren't to be distracted for that long by Percy's blonde male friend.

"I…I…"

"Yes?"

The daughter of Hades scratched the back of her neck—a nervous habit. "I love you." She blurted out. Percy's jaw dropped as if he couldn't believe she'd said that.

Swallowing, he replied, "I think I do too... it took me quite a realize that; I realized it when I heard that you were kidnapped and I, err—"

"A little help here!" Jason Grace, son of Jupiter called, rather snappishly. He was getting his ass handed to him and the other two were flirting?

Percy coughed awkwardly. "We should help, huh?"

"I've missed you." Nico confessed, looking down at their intertwined fingers.

Percy smiled and that was enough of an answer for Nico.

**PxN**

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A/N; Tell me what you think? Are they too OOC? I thought the ending was crappy.

What do you think?


End file.
